Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
M56A — The crocodile's secret
Source data for narratives and traditions is drawn from Berezkin’s Analytical Catalogue. If you use this data, please acknowledge and link to it: Ю.Е. Березкин, Е.Н. Дувакин. Тематическая классификация и распределение фольклорно-мифологических мотивов по ареалам. Аналитический каталог.
Summary of motif
OverviewA weak character hits a crocodile, but the crocodile is safe. He says he would be killed if the attack hit a specific location. Next time, the same character hits this place and kills a crocodile.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 11, Tricks and competitions won thanks to deception, absurd and obscene behavior.
M56 has 3 other sub-motifs
RelatedM56a. A weak character hits a crocodile, but the crocodile is safe. He says he would be killed if the attack hit a specific location. Next time, the same character hits this place and kills a crocodile.
M56b. A weak character is tasked with bringing the skin (paw, tears, etc.) of animals that are stronger than him or are difficult to catch. He cunningly performs the task. Usually a rabbit or hare completes the task, but does not receive the reward he expected. {In the New World, the motive is from African Americans}.
M56c. The character promises to bring a snake. The snake agrees to have the character measure its length. He ties the snake to a stick or, while measuring, finds out where to hit it to kill it.
M56d. The character promises to fill the vessel with small flying living creatures. He bets with them that they will not be able to fill the vessel. Creatures climb inside, the character closes the lid. Cf. K60B motif.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| G3 | 94.85% | Cultivated plants or fertile soil for their cultivation are hidden inside the rock. Birds or thunder gods pierce a hole in the rock. |
| L28A | 94.36% | People (or a certain person) eat the meat of a snake (dragon, unusual fish). This results in a flood, landslide, or the appearance of a river or lake. |
| E33 | 93.84% | People arise from grains, seeds, dough. |
| B62 | 93.78% | Man believes that vultures live better than humans, changes his appearance to that of a vulture. The former vulture lives with the man's wife, and the man usually does not like his new life. |
| B2B | 93.68% | The earth feeds on the people buried in it. See motif B2A. |
| L30 | 93.62% | The one who broke the food taboo experiences terrible thirst and drinks a huge amount of water. |
| K30A | 92.88% | The wife of the first ancestor flies away with the vultures (usually voluntarily, after she has already cheated on her husband), and the chief (Uito: her brother) brings her back. See motif K30. |
| A22B | 92.83% | The sun and its companion burn up. The companion burns in a less intense fire (is thrown into the ashes, etc.); therefore, the moon (or star) is cold. See motif A22. |
| F36 | 92.76% | (Adopted) children of a woman or man kill the lover (or spouse of non-human nature) of their father or (adoptive) mother. |
| G16 | 92.61% | Ants are the first to find cultivated plants that are unknown to others and concentrated in one place. |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
15 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 15 traditions: Natchez (incl Avoyel), Tunica, Creek, Seminole; Tuskegee; iconography of Kentucky Hopewell, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec, Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec, Tzutujil, Tepehua, Totonac, Tzotzil, Tzeltal, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Chorti, Yucatec, Itza, Kekchi; Mopan, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti
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